Freshness retaining device for refrigerator

Abstract: A freshness retaining device for a refrigerator. This device supplies magnetized air to all of sections of the refrigerating chamber, thus to activate tissue of the chilled food in the refrigerating chamber and to retain the freshness of the chilled food. The device includes a housing detachably mounted on an inner wall of the refrigerating chamber and having an air inlet pipe and an outlet and a water reservoir provided in the housing. An ultrasonic humidifier is connected to the water reservoir and generates an ultrasonic wave for decomposition of the water of the reservoir into water molecules. A blower fan is connected to a motor and mounted above the ultrasonic humidifier. The fan forcibly introduces the water molecules to the outlet of the housing. A magnetic field generator is mounted at the front of the blower fan and magnetizes the water molecules. The device also includes a power source unit for supplying an electric power to all of the ultrasonic humidifier, the motor and the magnetic field generator. The magnetic field generator includes a plurality of magnets.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates in general to a freshness retaining device for a refrigerator and, more particularly to a freshness retaining device for retaining the freshness of chilled food, such as vegetables, fruits, meat and fishes, using magnetic force. Background of the Invention With reference to Fig. 1, there is shown a conventional refrigerator. As shown in this drawing, a refrigerator body 21 is divided into two chambers, that is, a freezing chamber 1a and a refrigerating chamber 1b. In addition, a vegetable container 23 is provided on a lower section of the refrigerating chamber 1b. In order to retain the freshness of chilled food such as vegetables, fruits, meat and fishes, the refrigerator preferably includes a freshness retaining device in the refrigerating chamber 1b. The conventional freshness retaining device comprises a rectangular magnet 24 which is mounted on a lower section of the refrigerator body 21 such that it is spaced apart from the bottom of the vegetable container 23 by a predetermined distance. The magnet 24 of the freshness retaining device supplies magnetic energy to the chilled food (not shown) in the vegetable container 23, thus to retain the freshness of the chilled food. The above freshness retaining device requires a magnetic energy source for generating huge magnetic energy. However, it has been noted that it is not easy to find out such a magnetic energy source and, furthermore, the magnetic energy generated by such a magnetic energy source can not be applied to all of sections of the refrigerating chamber 1b. In this regard, the conventional freshness retaining device may fail in retaining the freshness of the chilled food in the refrigerating chamber 1b. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a freshness retaining device for a refrigerator in which the aforementioned problems can be overcome and which supplies magnetized air to all of sections of the refrigerating chamber of the refrigerator, thus to activate tissue of the chilled food in the refrigerating chamber and to desirably retain the freshness of the chilled food. In order to accomplish the above object, there is provided a freshness retaining device for a refrigerator in accordance with claim 1. Preferred embodiments are defined in the dependent claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing a construction of a conventional refrigerator; Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a refrigerator provided with a freshness retaining device in accordance with the present invention; and Fig. 3 is a schematic view showing a construction of a freshness retaining device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to Fig. 2, there is shown in a sectional view a refrigerator provided with a freshness retaining device in accordance with the present invention. In the refrigerator, a refrigerator body 1 is divided into two chambers, that is, a freezing chamber 1a and a refrigerating chamber 1b. The freezing chamber 1a includes an evaporator 14 on a side wall thereof while the refregerating chamber 1b is provided with a plurality of shelves 2. In addition, a vegetable container 3 is provided on a lower section of the refrigerating chamber 1b. In order to retain the freshness of chilled food such as vegetables, fruits, meat and fishes, the refrigerator includes a freshness retaining device A in the refrigerating chamber 1b. The freshness retaining device A is detachably mounted on an inner side wall of the refrigerating chamber 1b. Fig. 3 shows a construction of a freshness retaining device A in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The device A is encased by a housing 13 which includes an air inlet pipe 4 at an upper section thereof and an outlet 11 at a side wall or a left side wall thereof. The device A also includes a water reservoir 5 on a right side section in the housing 13. An ultrasonic humidifier 6 is placed on a side of the water reservoir 5 and generates an ultrasonic wave in order to decompose the water in the reservoir 5 into water molecules. In order to forcibly introduce the water molecules to the outlet 11 of the housing 13, a blower fan 7 coupled to an output shaft of a motor M is mounted above the ultrasonic humidifier 6. At the front of the blower fan 7, a magnetic field generator 8 including a plurality of magnets is provided in order to magnetize the water molecules. This magnetic field generator 8 is electrically connected to a power source unit P including a power source 9 and a switch 10 connected to the power source 9 in series. When the freshness retaining device A is applied with the electric power of the power source 9 of the unit P, the switch 10 is switched on and drives the magnetic field generator 8, the motor M and the ultrasonic humidifier 6. Here, it should be noted that the power source 9 is electrically connected to both the motor M and the ultrasonic humidifier 6 even though the electric connection between them is omitted in Fig. 3. When the motor M starts its rotation, the blower fan 7 coupled to the output shaft of the motor M is rotated and forcibly introduces the outside air into the device A through the inlet pipe 4. The air introduced into the device A is mixed with the water molecules decomposed by the ultrasonic humidifier 6. The water molecule-laden air is in turn introduced to the magnetic field generator 8 in a nearly horizontal direction by the blowing force of the fan 7. When the speed of the water molecules is fastly advanced, the magnetic force of the water is also increased. The water molecules in the air are changed in their structures into hexagonal structures by the magnetic energy generated by the magnetic field generator 8 and delivered from the device A along with the air through the outlet 11. The hexagonal water-laden air is supplied to chilled food 12 in the refrigerating chamber 1b and in the vegetable container 3 and activates the tissue of the chilled food 12, thus to retain the freshness of the chilled food 12. As described above, a freshness retaining device of the present invention magnetizes water molecules and circulates the magnetized water molecules together with air in all of sections of the refrigerating chamber of the refrigerator, thus to activate the tissue of chilled food such as fishes in the refrigerating chamber and to retain the freshness of the chilled food. In this regard, the freshness retaining device of the present invention remarkably improves the quality of the refrigerators.

Claims: A freshness retaining device for a refrigerator comprising a magnetic field generator, characterized in that it further comprises: a housing (13) detachably mountable on an inner wall of a refrigerating chamber of said refrigerator and having an air inlet pipe (4) and an outlet pipe (11); a blower fan (7) connected to a motor, mounted in an inner part of said housing and arranged to forcibly direct water molecules originating from an ultrasonic humidifier (6) to said outlet pipe of the housing; said magnetic field generator (8) mounted at the front of said blower fan (7) for magnetizing said water molecules; and a power source unit (9,10) for supplying electric power at least to the ultrasonic humidifier and the motor. A freshness retaining device according to claim 1, characterized in that said ultrasonic humidifier (6) is connected to a water reservoir (5) provided in said housing (13) and generates an ultrasonic wave for decomposition of water in said reservoir into water molecules. A freshness retaining device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said magnetic field generator (8) includes a plurality of magnets. A freshness retaining device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said power source unit also supplies electric power to said magnetic field generator (8). A freshness retaining device according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein said power source unit includes a power source (9) and a switch (10) connected to said power source (9).

Inventors: KWON YOUNG CHEOL, KWON, YOUNG CHEOL, KWON, YOUNG CHEOL, NO. 328, GOLDSTAR DORMITORY
Applicants: LG ELECTRONICS INC, LG ELECTRONICS INC.
Application year: 1994
Main classification: F25D17
IPC codes: F25D23, F25D17, A23L3, H01F13, A23B7